1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, there is well known an image forming apparatus by which, when performing a print job to form an image of print data, a user can confirm output contents of the print job before image formation by displaying on a screen an image (preview image) of a sheet on which the image is formed.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Publication No. 2004-118277 discloses a technique according to which discrimination information is set to each feeding section which feeds a sheet on which the print data is to be printed, an assignment of the feeding section (sheet) by a user is received when producing a preview image of the print data, and the preview image is produced and displayed after the assigned feeding section is specified by utilizing the discrimination information, and thereby it becomes possible to confirm whether or not the print data is printed on the desired sheet prior to the print. By this, for example, the preview image including a state in which a slip sheet is inserted can be produced and displayed by assigning a slip sheet insertion position and the feeding section.
Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Publication No. 2003-32404 discloses a technique according to which previews of a cover page and the print data are controlled based on cover page setting information obtained from temporarily-stored FAX transmission data in an intermediate code format and a cover page preview method selected by the user when previewing the FAX transmission data in which the cover page is added to the print data. By this, even when the cover pages are individually attached to the pieces of FAX transmission data having plural destinations, the user can preview contents of the pieces of FAX transmission data without confusion.
Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Publication No. 2001-130083 discloses a technique according to which intermediate data of the job and an output job setting file are stored in a spool file when an instruction to store the job is provided during the print, and the print image of the job is previewed by a previewer when a user selects the stored job. By this, for example, a print setting such as bookbinding print and a cover sheet insertion is assigned, the preview in which the print setting is reflected can be performed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Publication No. 2004-282439 discloses a technique according to which a read document or a virtual document can be displayed as a preview image in a preview screen, and a simple edit of the image and the setting of finishing processing can be performed using a touch panel or a mouse while being reflected in the displayed preview image. By this, it becomes possible to display the preview image in which the image edit such as movement, enlargement and reduction, and rotation of the image, and position setting of the finishing processing such as stapling and punching are reflected.
Thus, according to the conventional image forming apparatus, the preview in which the job setting set to each print job is reflected can be performed when previewing the print data.
However, even by using the techniques disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Publication Nos. 2004-118277, 2003-32404, 2001-130083, and 2004-282439, contents of various output operations, such as a partition sheet insertion function, a sample sheet discharge function, and an automatic density adjustment sheet insertion function, which are set in the image forming apparatus itself independently of the job setting, cannot be previewed. Therefore, when a change or a setting mistake occurs in contents of a predetermined output operation set in the image forming apparatus, there is a possibility that a printing error which possibly occurs subsequent to the change or setting mistake cannot previously be confirmed.
Incidentally, even if the printing error is generated, the printing error can be corrected in a subsequent process. However, correction work becomes troublesome and usability is not good.